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Review Uploaded
07/28/03

1 hr. 45 mins.
Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Vicki Haughton, Rawiri Paratene, Cliff Curtis
Directed by: Niki Caro

Rating: *** ½ stars (out of 4 stars)

There’s this belief system that a majority of substantive children’s movies can be found within the realms of animation. Better yet, how can a legitimate kiddie flick get the stamp of approval without having the famed Disney label anointed on it? Well, there’s one engaging children’s tale that doesn’t fall into either of the aforementioned categories. Filmmaker Niki Caro’s involving New Zealander narrative Whale Rider is such an absorbing example of being that rare children’s film that incorporates the essential ingredients of substance and style. Poignant, intelligent, courageous and informative, Caro’s lyrical exposition dares to take on the imagination of children and their adult counterparts and whisk them away in a somber storytelling mood that’s culturally compelling. Youngsters will always have the fluffy fare that keeps them entertained while providing them the nourishment equivalent to that of a bowl of sugary candy. However, Whale Rider will become the nutritious veggies that can be slipped in their diet without them even realizing how unassumingly tasty this tribal treat really is.

Whale Rider tells the fascinating story of a traditional kind of people, the Maori tribe. Legend has it that the Maoris arrived in New Zealand many generations ago while riding on the backs of whales that graciously ensured their safety on the seashores of a new exotic place. Because of this aged old historical event, it is believed that the Maori tribe and the symbolic whale had cultivated a bond to the point that there’s a traditional connection between man and this particular beast. Of course, the connection being that the Maori tribe can actually communicate with the mighty sea creatures. Naturally, the relationship between the Maori tribe and their love and respect for the impressive sea mammal continues on into contemporary times where the tradition needs to be maintained in solemn tribute of the forefathers.

We’re eventually introduced to Koro (Rawiri Paratene) who happens to be the chief of the Maori tribe. Koro realizes that his age is catching up with him and soon he’ll need to step down as chief. The obvious replacement to succeed him would be his first-born son Porourangi (Cliff Curtis). Unfortunately, Porourangi is indifferent to the idea of becoming chief of the Maori tribe therefore it’s a waste of time for his father to convince him otherwise. This leaves Koro to focus upon his grandchildren, Porourangi’s newborn twins. Koro figures that if is disinterested son doesn’t want to assume the responsibility regarding his heritage then he might as well keep it in the family and pin his hopes on the upcoming generation.

Alas, tragedy strikes when Porourangi’s baby boy suddenly dies. This leaves the surviving sibling Pai, Porourangi’s baby girl. Too distraught to face this unthinkable loss, Porourangi packs up his bags and heads off to Europe armed with grief and high expectations to pursue a career in the arts. Porourangi leaves poor Pai behind so that Koro and his wife Flowers (Vicki Haughton) can raise the girl since he’s not in the mental frame of mind to do so.

As we jump ahead to Pai’s (Keisha Castle-Hughes) pre-teen years, we find a somewhat saddened yet ambitious little girl trying her best to win her grandfather Koro’s affection. Much like many cultures around the world, being a female in society automatically grants you the unfair distinction as being seen as invisible and inconsequential. After all, it’s the valued male that is looked upon as the dominant one to carry on the lineage and continued cultural ways of his storied people. And certainly a tough old bird as Koro is vehemently ardent in keeping this philosophy alive.

Koro’s emotional distance toward his attention-starved granddaughter Pai is indeed regrettable. But with his blatant neglect of Pai set aside, we can assume that the crusty codger does in fact love her despite his lack of acknowledgment. Koro is simply one of those culturally restricting men from an honored era where respecting tradition and following the guidelines of cultural correctness is more pressingly urgent than adhering to the political correctness of showing an equal affection to his impressionable female charge who adores him to death regardless of his hardened skin. This is not to say that it’s not inexcusable for Koro to treat Pai in this disrespectful manner. However, this is an intriguing familial struggle because we’re looking at a complex man who’s asked to weigh the options of either recognizing his solid roots of the past versus making a sacrifice and putting the expected obligations to the side as chief of a proud people and find the nerve to concentrate on focusing in the present on his precious young loved one who needs his attention the most. Should Koro be vilified for his preference to the Maori way of life over the missing adoration for his emotionally starved granddaughter looking for acceptance? Or should Koro be commended for his overall commitment to a treasured tribe and hope that Pai realizes that certain customs are meant to be even if it means ruining her overall feelings and self-esteem?

Pai is such an interesting little gal because if she wanted to be rebellious toward her stubborn grandfather and self-destruct in the process, this route would have been an understandable one to travel down. Instead, she does nothing but try to improve her self-worth constructively by earning Koro’s elusive respect in an attempt to win over his congested heart by showing him she’s worth the fuss. No doubt the disenchantment of a healthy selection of mistreated American girl’s Pai’s age may have opted to delve into drugs or desperately sell their bodies on the streets just to ease their prolonged disillusionment while trying to hurt their negligent families with the tool of guilt. But Pai chooses to be studious and dares for Koro to come up with an excuse as to why she’s not as relevant as any boy to be regarded in the revered honor of being a whale rider traditionalist. Pai is a lost little gal that has to cope with male abandonment issues-first by her departed father at infancy and now by her paternal grandfather who’s physically there but absent psychologically.

The audience finds themselves pulling for Pai’s persistence in trying to relieve Koro of his old school notions. Plus, the fact that she’s able to educate herself about the historical happenings of her people and the manner in which they cherish their cultural upbringing is uniquely uplifting. Tell me, how many American preteens would even bother to voluntarily investigate their past and show reverence in the ancestors that are responsible for their existence now? And this doesn’t even apply to the parents or grandparents that literally force their young offspring to care. Pai’s amazing in that she embodies the passion of her people. She can speak the language, sing the songs, cite historical references and most importantly relate to the whale calling ritual-something that her obstinate grandfather just doesn’t want to fully digest. Yet he would rather kill himself in trying to lure the local village boys into force-feeding them the opportunity to partake into an activity that his own flesh-and-blood granddaughter can do with her eyes closed. It particularly hurts to see Pai observe how determined Koro is when it comes to winning over strangers yet he cannot relate to her on any level, or refuses to for that matter. And the funny thing is that we all know that Pai would make for an excellent whale rider and would smoke out any of the awkward male competition that Koro feels so obligated to drool over.

Whale Rider may seem like a disheartening artsy children’s film in that the theme of rejection isn’t exactly the tone that folks would want their kids to be subjected to per se. But let’s face facts, this is a part of life and children need to know that the perfect family dynamic is nothing but a myth. Everyday people face loss in one form or the other. On the contrary Caro’s intimate fable isn’t depressing but overtly empowering, particularly for young girls in general looking to overcome the stigma that they aren’t worthy of consideration in a male-dominated environment. Caro is shrewdly profound in the way she delivers a slightly disturbing yet revealing look at youthful feminism from the eyes of an oppressed youngster looking to make her distinctive mark regardless of the troublesome stacked deck that was seemingly against her from the get go.

All around, the performances are convincingly heartfelt and solid. Newcomer Castle-Hughes was absolutely riveting as the suffering Pai, a durable little lady who never lost her composure but chose to push on and find her inner emotional strength without the support system there to motivate her progression as someone soon to be arriving on the doorsteps of young womanhood. Sure, this self-sufficient girl had her self-doubts as we all do. And for her confidence to be tested by a hard-shelled guardian who cannot look past his own dysfunctional prison only magnifies Castle-Hughes’s Pai’s resiliency all the more in forethought.

Paratene shines as the aloof Koro, a clueless creature of habit that’s stuck between time periods and perhaps conveniently uses the Maori agenda as a clever buffer to promote his inability to grow with contemporary times that he feels may endanger the golden age of his tribe’s sanctioned yesteryear. Thoroughly, Paratene’s Chief Koro is a wounded soul and doesn’t realize that his personal agony is also the inherited affliction that plagues the well-rounded granddaughter he blindly scoots away. Both characterizations are hurting and its Caro’s sensitive yet firm direction that brings out the riveting vibes within their biting vulnerability.

Whereas a majority of children’s fare contains the usual traces of manipulation in its presentation, Whale Rider is sophisticated enough to control its sentimentality and let the story breathe its poetic honesty. It doesn’t hurt that Rider is beautifully shot and that the vibrant images of beautiful beached whales adds to the glorified mystique being portrayed in the Maori subtext. Truly, Caro’s captivating coming-of-age examination is something that shouldn’t be missed by anyone who appreciates rewarding filmmaking.